Zondo commission adjourns until Friday after Zuma threatens to withdraw
17 July 2019
Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has adjourned the commission into state capture until Friday after former president Jacob Zuma's legal team complained that their client had been brought in under false pretences.
This came after Zuma's legal team threatened to withdraw him from testifying, with advocate Muzi Khakhane saying that his client was being cross-examined on hearsay testimony.
What was meant to be a 30-minute recess to discuss a possible withdrawal turned into an hour-long deliberation between the commission's and Zuma's legal teams on whether the former president would continue giving his testimony.
Zuma's legal team complained that evidence leader Paul Pretorius was focusing on one aspect of former minister Barbara Hogan's testimony that he had interfered to appoint Siyabonga Gama into the position of Transnet CEO.